Gumbo

Ingredients

3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup flour
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped bell peppers
1 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon Essence
1 teaspoon cayenne
5 bay leaves
8 cups shrimp stock
1 pound fish pieces (any white fish available-i.e. escolar, amberjack, pompano, etc.)
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
2 dozen oysters with their liquid
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
File powder
2 cups cooked white rice
2 tablespoon chopped green onions
Loaf of crusty French bread

Instructions

In a large heavy pot, heat the oil. when the oil is hot, whisk in the flour. Stir the mixture constantly for 15-20 minutes15{ roux. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt, Essence, cayenne, and bay leaves. Cook for 12-13 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are wilted. Add the stock and mix to blend with the roux. Simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the fish pieces and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 15 minutes. Add the crabmeat, oysters, green onions and parsley and cook for 2-3 minutes , or until the edges of the oysters curl. Remove from the heat. Add the File` powder to thicken at the end.

Ladle the gumbo in a shallow dish. Place a heaping portion or two of the rice in the center of the gumbo. Sprinkle the green onions over top. Serve with a piece of French bread.

Yield: 12 servings